Arrested Development: Biden Campaign Script

[gotmilk]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/0rhh94nbec2fjg2/2020-09-29%201st%20draft%20BIDEN%20CAMPAIGN%20ZOOM%20CALL%20WITH%20THE%20CHARACTERS%20FROM%20%27ARRESTED%20DEVELOPMENT%27.pdf?dl=0

Has anyone else read this script which Mitch Hurwitz posted on Twitter? Possibly the most cringe-inducing piece of comedy I've read. The sheer arrogance and delusion it would take to present something like this as a potential campaign video is breath-taking. It's utterly shapeless, laboured beyond belief, reliant on references and completely lacking in any actual jokes. For a fan of the show it's tedious, for anyone else it's totally incomprehensible. The idea of Biden's team receiving this and seeing what utter dogshit it is actually makes me laugh. An insight into the kind of mindset which allowed season 5 to happen.

[ajsmith2]

Tambor in the doghouse I see.

Hard to imagine Joe B managing the presence/comedic timing necessary to totally sell being the sensible straightman figure.

FWIW, I thought it pulled off acknowledging the Bluth/Trump parallels bettter than season 5 did. I don't even think the whole thing was really that bad for what it was. The main problem is that it's from 2020 and by that point AD had lost nearly all contemporary cultural currency/goodwill: I'm not surprised the Biden campaign passed on it: it'd be like, I dunno, if Spin City has done a pitch for an Obama campaign video.

[Shaky]

Yeah, it's fairly obvious stuff but not particularly terrible. Reads like a piece of decent enough fan fiction, which is fine considering the state of the last couple of AD seasons. I thought it flowed reasonably well and it's easy to imagine the actors reading those lines.

Plus - first draft and all that. To be fair, it's still more entertaining than most campaign videos.

[Stoneage Dinosaurs]

Hard to imagine Joe B managing the presence/comedic timing necessary to totally sell being the sensible straightman figure.

He just about managed it in Parks and Rec didn't he? Mind you he only had a handful of lines there I think

[gotmilk]

So much of it seems totally inappropriate for what should be a punchy, accessible video. The overly convoluted explanation of the family predicament at the beginning, the convoluted Ron Howard joke, the notion of Buster wanting to be called "B" (purely to allow for a "Bees" callback)... everything about it is so desperately lame and clunky.

[chveik]

wow that fucking sucks

[up_the_hampipe]

Arrested Development has always been one of those shows considered "cancelled too soon". As more and more stuff comes out, it's clear that it wasn't. In fact, season 3 was an indication that the wheels were coming off, and everything after that has been progressively worse. Leave it alone, Mitch, it's already dead!

[Old Nehamkin]

He just about managed it in Parks and Rec didn't he? Mind you he only had a handful of lines there I think

Nine years ago when he was still relatively cognizant and able to string a coherent sentence together, yes.

[Old Nehamkin]

Reading this script just made me sad. I got up to the part where Biden is expounding about the importance of strong border security and gave up. Nauseating stuff all round.

[bgmnts]

Never even got to season 5 won't lie.

The first three seasons of AD is some of my favourite comedy ever. I honestly dont think there is a weak link amongst the cast (even Michael Cera's performance is quite good).

Watched some earlier and was sad Jessica Walter died cos she was fucking fantastic. I'm sure people of a different age will have a different character in mind but Lucille Bluth is THE alcoholic, manipualtive, abusive Matriarch.

[chveik]

would've been evens worse than clinton in broad city. just disgusting stuff

[up_the_hampipe]

The first three seasons of AD is some of my favourite comedy ever. I honestly dont think there is a weak link amongst the cast (even Michael Cera's performance is quite good).

Why 'even' Cera? Although he only tends to do one type of thing, he's very good at it.

[bgmnts]

Why 'even' Cera? Although he only tends to do one type of thing, he's very good at it.

Oh definitely. Just a personal preference I suppose, not a huge fan of his schtick.

[David Pielingtonburygrot]

He drinks like a fish.